Library Lunch Bunch

May 19, 2016

Ashland Public Library is thrilled to announce their partnership with the Ashland County Family & Children First Council to launch the Library Lunch Bunch summer meal program starting June 7, continuing through August 19. This program is a local extension of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s Summer Food Service Program to provide free meals to children during the summer months. The Library Lunch Bunch program will continue to run through the two weeks that the library is closed during July - the 11th through the 23rd. It is normally held outside in the patio area on the south side of the library (by the statue of the young reader.)

Two distribution sites staffed by Ashland Public Library employees are planned. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, from noon to 1:00 p.m., the Ashland Public Library will be distributing cold lunches to preschoolers to 18 year-olds, accompanied by activities and prizes. Alternatively, the Bookmobile will distribute lunches at Cahn Grove Park, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The Nutrition education and healthy activities are planned with coordination from OSU Extension Program Assistant Trischa Bell.

Menus will be posted at the distribution sites and those with food allergies should check these. The meals are required to be consumed at the distribution site. Facilities to wash hands are accessible at both sites, and hand sanitizer will be also available.

This group effort is only possible with the funding provided by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, USDA, Children’s Hunger Alliance, and Paramount Advantage. St. Edward’s Church and the First Presbyterian Church are providing key support by storing the lunches and providing volunteers. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio is supplying backpacks to be used for child giveaways. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank also provided mandatory food safety training for those staffing the distribution sites.

Dr. Diane Karther, Director of Ashland County Family & Children First Council coordinated this summer’s program with the Council’s Building Bridges Out of Poverty action group. Historically, the distribution site was at St. Edward’s Church, however, the hope is that more children will be served by providing multiple sites for distribution. For children outside of the city of Ashland, there are three other distribution sites planned in the county, Loudonville Public Library is one of them. Please contact Dr. Karther, 419-281-1212, or the Ashland Public Library, 419-289-8188, for more information. The Bookmobile schedule can also be found at www.ashland.lib.oh.us.